Take Four
by X3
Summary: Yet another "How Beka Met Harper"


Title:  Take Four

Summery:  Yet another version of how Beka met Harper

Disclaimer:  I own nothing and am getting no money

Rated:  R, just to be careful because of a few torture paragraphs

A/N:  The title comes from this being the 4th time I've written a "Harper meets Beka" story

It was dark.  Beka sighed.  She wanted this job but pretending to be interested in this man's businesss was wearing her patience thread -bare fast.  If this job weren't worth so much she never would have let this man's rambling go on nearly this long.  She also would never have let him lead her down a winding staircase to his dungeon work bay.  Priman insisted upon showing her all the components of his business before he gave her the map for the salvage run he wanted to send her on.  She had no illusions he was an honest businessman.  They stole things, took them apart and resold them put together as something else. These were criminals.  Of course, Criminals tended to pay better.

 In fact if this job weren't worth some serious Thrones she certainly never would have come to this dying backwater planet. Earth, the motherland, yeah right. Everything here was depressing, the scenery was nothing but hard, dead grass and broken trees.  The people, what was left of them, mainly lived in refugee camps.  She planned on leaving as soon as the opportunity arose and never returning.  This planet was an extreme example of why she hated planets.  

            "This is where my mechanics work," her client, Mr. Priman explained.  He gestured to the big empty room scattered with tools and parts they found at the bottom of the stairs. It was too chilly down here.  How much longer could this go on anyway?  She glanced at her watch, it had already been 2 hours! Loud whistles and hoots filled the air and caused Beka to turn towards the wall behind her.  There was a heavy rusted grate, and behind it, about 5 men.  "The mechanics" supplied Priman "Big red, Scrappy, Gimpy, Tiny, and, and, What's his name" he yelled his question across the empty workroom.  

            "Mark sir"  Priman did not appear to believe him. "You call me Tinker" quietly supplied a thin, dark haired boy, no more than 17.

            "Yeah, Tinker"

            "You keep them in a cage?"

            "Can't have them just running about willy nilly now can we, might get into something" Beka ignored the cat -calls and peered into the cage.  Seeing her disgust at the idea of imprisoning his workers he spoke up again.  "I do pay them, and they are free to leave at any time."  A freckled red head laughed.  Beka assumed he was "Big Red".  None of the men were very big.  Tinker appeared to be the youngest, but not one was even in their mid 20's.  

            "And what would we be doing if we weren't working here"

            "Why we'd be lounging in our fabulously furnished condos by the beach" answered a little blond guy in the back

            "Ah that wit Scrappy.  That's why you're my favorite. A man after my own heart, he's the only one who doesn't send his pay back to family still in a camp."

            Scrappy looked like he was just out of a camp.  He smiled as he stepped to the front of their enclosure. He was thin, horribly malnourished.  His mop of untamed blond hair fell in front of his exhaustion shadowed blue eyes.  "So babe, what brings you here?"

Despite the offense she took at being called "babe" she smiled back at the guy.  He was cute, like a puppy.  Priman slipped his hand through the bars and with a palm to Scrapy's forehead pushed the smaller man to the back of his cage.  The other mechanics laughed.  The one she assumed was Gimpy tripped him with his cane and the boy fell on his back. "Thanks a lot.  Hey Priman, this ceiling could use some plaster"

            "Just ignore him" advised Priman

            There was a banging that sounded like a herd of caribou charging down the stairs made everyone turn.  Standing at the bottom of the stairs was a greasy little man.  "Mr. Priman, sir, Captain Valentine's ship was broken into.  We managed to scare off the vandals, but perhaps she'd like to inspect the damage."

            "Damn, my ship!"

            "I'm so sorry this happened, my dear!" he turned to Greasy, "Was it those delinquents again?"  Greasy nodded silently.  Priman stormed over to the control panel and angrily punched in a code.  The door opened and the businessman grabbed the front of the closest mechanic's coveralls. "Go, Scrappy and help Captain Valentine with her ship, get it running better than before and do it fast." To Captain Valentine he added, "Shall we meet again tomorrow morning to finalize the details of our deal."

            "Sure, let's go Scrappy.  If those…grrr… did anything to my baby!" she began muttering.  She didn't even know if Scrappy was ay good.  

Sparing a glance back at him her eye caught the shine coming off a metal plug in his neck.  The kid had a port.  Well, at least he'd be able to learn what to do easy enough.  The port looked kind of funny on the boy.  Scrappy was all bone, joints pointy and sticking out.  His neck was just as delicate as the rest of him and to have this bright piece of machinery sticking out of it just seemed so out of place.  Of course it wasn't her place to make that kind of judgment.  Whatever this guy wanted to do to his body was his call.  

            Greasy led Beka and her engineer up the stairs.  During the walk back to the Maru she fretted about what they had done to her ship.  "Don't worry about it babe, what ever they did ol' Harper will put back."

            "Harper- that you?"

            "Seamus Z. Harper, at your service"

            "Z?"

            "Zealanzy"

            "That beats out Eugene as the worst middle name I have ever encountered"

            "It's good to be the champ sometimes."  Beka laughed.  Harper coughed a few times.  He had actually kept her mind off her problems and her ship for a few minutes.  His cough was hard and barking. It reminded her how miserable this planet was.  His attitude and humor didn't cover the fact his own body was falling apart around him.  

            The hull of the Eureka Maru was marred by the gaping hole caused by the door hanging from its hinges.  "Damn" she muttered running up to her pride and joy.  She disappeared inside as Harper inspected the door.  It wasn't too bad.  He really just had to re-hang it.  He ventured farther in and found the engine room.  To him it was the most beautiful place he had ever seen.  Captain Valentine was there.  "I don't know much about the engines" she admitted "How are they?"

            "Captain Valentine you are lucky you have a super genius looking after ya."  He jumped down into the engine area.  The little guy had no problem moving about in the cramped area.  "Fuel tank's cracked, gotta repair that.  Hmmm better check …"he began muttering and crawling behind some big bulky engine component.  

            The ship was cobbled together, a real challenge to keep it running to be sure.  But that was what Harper liked, a challenge.  Beka  watched him a moment and went to check the cockpit.  There she found her boyfriend Bobby and Rev Bem, the Maggog Wayist monk.  Rev had been in especially deep meditation ever since they'd arrived on Earth. His Maggog brothers had descended on this world and destroyed its population.  After the swarms of Maggog it was the perfect time for the Neitzchiens to swoopin and take what they wanted.  However, Bobby had no such excuse.

            "How did this happen Bobby?"  I leave for a couple of hours and the ship gets broken into!"

            "What the hell was I supposed to do?  Yell at the mob- 'Hey stop, stop that! Don't make me try to stop all of you all by myself"

            "What did they want?"

            "To escape this godforsaken planet by hijacking the Maru.  I did stop them from that goal, give me a little credit"

            "Fine, you get a little credit.  What happened?"

            "They took the door right off.  Rev scarred most of them away.  A few made it to the engine room, tried to get the engines going, but I took care of them."

"So brave" she said flatly "But we still are going to be delayed now."

            "How long?"

            "I don't know we'll have to ask the mechanic."

            "Mechanic?  You already hired one of these mudfoots?"

            "Priman sent him, he's in the engine room right now"

            "Alone?"

            "He seems harmless enough"

            "Yeah right" Bobby flicked on the cameras to the engine room.  There was Harper, jumping up and down on a pipe trying to pry the fuel tank out of its housing.  There was a loud crack and a crash that could be heard in the cockpit as the tank popped loose and the little human was propelled onto his back as his feet went over his head and into a wall with a loud thunk.  "Damn, he looks like death warmed over." He rolled over, stood up and coughed. Then he began pushing the tank out of the hole.  

            "See, just working"

            "I'm going to keep an eye on him anyway"

            "Fine"

 It wasn't that Beka completely trusted Harper, but he did seem intent on the repairs.  She admitted she should be more wary and walked to the engines to find the mudfoot adjusting the cog that had cracked the original tank.  Then he started connecting the line to the new tank.  The work was really progressing quickly.  "How long?"

            "Oh not too much more doll face, a few minutes here and maybe 2, 3 hours on the door."

            She noticed despite the casualness of his tone and attitude, the boy was hesitant to make eye contact, that he seemed a little afraid.  "So…how's working for Priman?" she attempted conversation

            "It's work, better than most around here."

            "And he really keeps you in that cage?"

            "Yeah, he's really a basket case."  He smiled. "He thinks we're all out to get him so he keeps us in the cage"

            "That must be awful"

            "It's awful here, ya get used to it.  It's a place to stay.  The other guys aren't so bad."

            "He didn't seem all that crazy this afternoon, well except for the cage thing."

            "He's heavily medicated, tends to wear off at night."  Harper hefted the door  back onto its hinges.  His shirt rode up to reveal a xylophone of rib bones and a hand sized, ameba shaped purple bruise.  Never one to beat around the bush she asked,

            "Where's that mark from?"

            He actually blushed!  "It's nothing, I'm anemic so I bruise pretty easy." He muttered quickly, pulling down his shirt with a now free hand.

            "That's a shame"

            "Just part of life."  He coughed again and began welding the repaired hinges onto the door.  

She kept talking with him while he worked.  He was funny, and a good mechanic.  It was already getting dark when he gathered his tools and jumped to the ground to head back.  "Maybe I'll see ya again sometime babe" he gave her a smile and walked away and the dark simply absorbed him.

Beka went back to the bed she shared with Bobby.  She lay there in the dark and thought.  She thought about her job, this job would let her pay off her debts.  Things were actually going pretty good in her life.  She had her ship, and her business, and Bobby- who did have some non-jerk tendencies.  She eventually thought about Harper.  The poor kid, he had so much talent and fate kept him on this dying rock, locked in a cage.  

            Harper let himself into the quite building. His key opened a back door that revealed a tiny hallway.  At the other end of the short, it was no more than 4 meters long, hall was another door that would open into the cage.  That door had a spring lock system that only allowed it to be opened from this side.  He sighed as she pushed on the cage door.  It didn't budge.  He tried again, still locked. That worried him.  What was going on with Priman now?  As if he heard the unasked question the outside door opened and Priman stood in the doorway, shadowed by the night. "I know you're plotting something Scrappy.  You're toooo smart, ya know."  He glared at the younger man.   

            "Damn, Calm down Mr. Priman. I'm not plotting anything boss, really!"

            "Oh no! You can't fool me anymore!"

            "I'm just a sad little mudfoot!  Come on, I came from one of the refugee camps, where would I have gotten smart enough to fool you boss?"

Priman seemed to pause and consider that.  But Harper was still wary as his boss slowly approached him, still mulling over Scrapy's idea. He grabbed his employee's shoulders and the boy stiffened as every muscle in his body tensed, bracing for the inevitable attack  "Scrappy!  I give you everything!" he began to forcibly shake the younger man so hard his head repeatedly snapped back and hit the closed door behind him with a dull thud. Harper could feel the bruises forming on his upper arms where Priman held him.  .But, Harper focused on convincing this madman that he wasn't a threat.  His body slackened and he assured Mr. Priman, "I'm not plottin' anything man!"

Priman pulled the boy close and yelled in his face, "You're going to turn me in!" He pushed his laborer back hard.

 "To who!? This is Earth!" he groaned. Apparently Priman regained his grasp on logic and he released Scrappy.  Priman laughed and Harper scowled.  

"Sorry about that Scrappy."

"Yeah"  Priman let Harper into the cage, where he could sleep for another night and let the bruises darken.  Golly he loved Earth.

*xXx*xXx*xXx*xXx*xXx*xXx*xXx*xXx*xXx*xXx*xXx*

In the back of Priman's mind still lurked that distrust.  Sparky was too smart.  He could take all he had worked so hard for away from him. Priman couldn't let that happen.

Beka woke before Bobby and was careful to be quite as she got ready for her day.  She had to see Priman again, get the map, and then they were off on the salvage run.  She wondered if she'd see Harper again.  Leaving the Maru she crossed the wasteland back to Priman's base of operations.  Greasy let her in and led her to Priman, who was in his lounge, just to the left of the front door.  

She sat in the nice high backed chair across from the criminal.  He smiled at her. "I suppose you are ready for the map now, Captain Valentine."

"Oh yeah, just give me the map, half the thrones you've promised me, and I'll be back in a week with your parts."

"And why do I give you half your pay up front?"

"In case this wreck you send us to get isn't where you say it is, we need to be compensated for our time. "

"Oh the wreck is there" he assured her

"And I believe you, but this is the way we do things" she smiled at him coyly.  She was certainly not above using her looks to get what she wanted.  Priman blushed

"Alright"

There was a knock on the door and nervously Greasy entered.  He hurried over to his boss and whispered in Priman's ear.  Priman's eyes grew wide and he cursed softly.  "Excuse me Captain Valentine.  Please wait here." He opened a drawer in the table and handed her a flexi that contained the location of the wreak Priman needed salvaged.  "I'll be right back."  Then he left, Greasy right behind him.

Beka stayed in her seat for all of a minute before she rushed to the door and peaked out into the foyer.  There was a large glowering Neitzchien out there.  Priman was talking to him, but in a low voice, it was hard for her to hear.  What she did hear was Priman saying, "It must have been Sparky!"  Then he led the Neitzchien down the spiral stairs to the workshop.  She couldn't believe it, Priman was turning Harper over to a Neitzchien.  Whatever the genetically modified brute wanted it probably was not going to be a positive experience for the young man.  

The last time Beka saw Harper he was being dragged out of the building by his hair.  Priman was following behind.  As the door shut behind their pleasant guest Priman shook his head.  "What a waste".  He headed for the room he had left Beka in.  She jumped back in the chair and pretended she had been reviewing the map. 

"Sorry for the interruption  my dear, just something we had to take care of"

"Sure" 

He handed her a receipt.  "Half of the money has been transferred to the account you requested." 

            "Well then, I better be on my way"

            "I suppose we'll see you again soon" Priman smiled       

"Yeah" she responded.  As she left she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Harper.

The Neitzchien refused to release the handful of blond hair he was using to maneuver his prisoner.  He did mutter something about making an example of this little kluge and Harper really did not like the sound of that. He had dealt with Neitzcheins many times in his relatively short life.  Never had a good experience though.  Neitzchiens raided the camp he called home more times than he could count.  He'd lost too many friends and family members to their violence.  

The kluge he now dragged was of little concern to him.  The only thing he had to be careful about was not snapping his neck.  These little mudfoots were notoriously fragile.  But, he couldn't let this one get off too easy.  Mickel sneered with disgust.  The kid had stolen from the Orca pride and now he would pay the price.  Mickel put the kid in his transport.  "What's going on?" he asked his captor

"You stole from Orca Pride"

 "I steal from everybody".   He admitted, "I'm just doing my job"

"Your job is going to make you beg for death"

"Really, umh I'm not crazy about this plan.'

"We hoped you wouldn't be" then with a quick flick of his wrist he knocked Harper's head into the side of the truck-like transport; rendering him quite unconscious.  

When Harper awoke, he was in a dark cell, shackled.  He had a headache, and all he could see from his position on the floor were someone's legs.  Three someones' legs to be exact.  You didn't have to be a genius to figure out that unpleasantness was forthcoming.  Harper felt the chains move and he was pulled up onto his feet.  The front Neitzchien was tall so Harper found himself looking at the base of his neck. He could see the other two lurking in the back though. "Uh Hey" he managed "How 'bout we letting me go?"

"No"

"I didn't think so" Harper became very grim.  He knew what was coming, pain.    He was right.  The tall Neitzchien was eyeing his port.  He gestured to it and another Neitzchien left the room, smiling.  Harper didn't want the Neitzchiens smiling.  

"I'm Shimar Varla, out of Hera by Samaris, alpha of the Orca.  You will quake with fear at the mention of my name soon enough" he sneered. Harper was silent.  Mickel returned with a long, skinny rod.  He handed it to Shimar, who pushed it firmly into Harper's port.  Harper felt like his skin was buzzing and his old bruises were aching.  Shimar smiled.  "Nerve stimulator, you think it hurts now, just wait."  

Shimar smiled coldly as he pummeled Harper.  He seemed to take great pleasure in watching the welts rise and bruises spread.  Shimar had a tool like a cattle prod he was especially fond of.  Harper lost all sense of time.  They just kept going and going.  All he could feel was the pain, he couldn't think of anything else.    

Harper hung in front of him.  The young human was growing weaker by the day.  Shimar loved that, it made him feel powerful.  When he'd brought in this young man he'd been as healthy as any of these little kludges could be.  Now, he'd hurt the youngster.  It had been his hands that had transformed the human into this trembling mass.  He'd separated the boy's flesh, watched the red blood that sprung from the wound trace its path down his pale back.  He'd colored that pale skin with hard, red burns and a rainbow of bruises.  Those from early sessions were a sunny yellow and pale green.  More recent activities had left deep violet and blue splotches punctuated with black highlights.  The . colors were some of the most beautiful Shimar had ever seen.

Shimar just watched the kid hang.  He gave his prisoner a little push.  The boy swung back and forth, feet dragging, letting only a short low moan escape his lips.  He was like a little anatomy lesson.  He'd long ago striped the boy of his oversized shirt and worn sandals.  Now he could see his prisoner's ribs.  He traced them with the tip of his knife, drawing just a pencil thin line of blood.  The boy twisted and squirmed, but it was useless.  

He was cold. He shivered.  Absolutely every part of him hurt.  Sometimes they would leave him alone, hanging in the dark for hours. That was the best part of his current life. He couldn't feel his hands anymore.  He was hanging by his wrists and with them above his head like that; he'd long ago lost circulation in them.  He was thirsty and dizzy with hunger.  He knew they were making an example of him.  They'd sent pictures of him to Priman and other suspected masters of the black market.  Apparently seeing what they did to people who stole from them was supposed to deter taking advantage of the Orca pride.  He must have looked crazy, hanging in chains, clinging to life,  laughing to himself.  What passed for an economy on Earth was based entirely on the black market and stealing from anyone you could.  

For the entire 5 day run Beka was consumed with questions about Harper.  What were they doing to him?  Neitzchiens were notoriously cruel, whatever they were doing to the boy it was bound to be immensely painful.  Beka didn't know why she cared so much, she'd only spent a few hours with him.  She sighed to herself.  But, in those few hours he had grown on her.  He cared for her ship with skill and foresight.  He was fun, and really just the little brother she never had.  A part of her just wanted to run back to Earth and rescue him.  Of course, that was the part of her that always won in the end.  They were on their was to Earth and Beka had a plan.  

It took two days to get back to Earth.  Bobby protested heavily to her plan.  She was going to trade the parts they had just salvaged for Priman to the Neitzchiens in exchange for Harper.  That meant they weren't going to get the other half of their money, they'd lose a good customer, and they'd be stuck with a sickly mudfoot.  "I'm still the Captain here" had been the final word on the matter.  She didn't like pulling rank, this was the first time she ever had, but she couldn't let Harper stay with the Neitzchiens.  

Rev was much more supportive.  The money they were losing didn't matter to Rev. He was a Wayist, and agreed rescuing the engineer was the will of the Devine. He agreed to accompany her to the negotiation but was still a little wary of the reactions he would receive.

"We'll be in and out Rev. We go, give them the location of where Bobby is unloading the parts, they give us Harper, we leave."

It wasn't hard to find the Orca pride.  The first person they asked had nervously told them exactly where to go.  Beka wondered what they were afraid of, Rev or the Neitzchiens.  Either way they found themselves at a walled compound.  

"We want to make a deal with your alpha" Beka told the young Neitzchien who waited outside the gate.  

"Who are you, human?"

"Captain Valentine"

"Neitzchiens don't make deals with kludges"

Rev growled, the Neitzchien took a step back, "Why don't you just check?" Beka asked sweetly.  The edgy Neitzchien mumbled into a comm link.  There was a muttered response, their Neitzchien said something, another response and the Neitzchien in front of them opened the gate.  

"Stay straight, big building in the center of the compound."  Beka nodded and she and Rev headed for the building the guard had mentioned.  

The door opened before they even arrived.  A smiling Nietzchien stood in the opening.  "Come in Captain Valentine.  I'm Shimar, alpha of this pride. What can I do for you…and your friend?" he added, glancing at Rev. They followed him to a room where they could sit and discuss the deal.

"We want the human you took from Priman."  Shimar suppressed a laugh but gave in to a smile.  This was the first time anyone had tried to rescue one of his victims.  

"Really, I rather like him myself.  Why should I let him go?"

"It's in your best interest, that's what Neitzchiens are always looking out for isn't it?"

"You know my people well.  So why is it in my interest to release my new toy?"

"From what the people in the town say, you've already made your point.  You probably have him on the verge of death."

"I like him on the verge of death"

"But once he's dead he'll be of no use to you.  We are willing to give you a cargo hold of salvaged parts for him."  Shimar considered the offer.  The boy really wouldn't last much longer.  He could use the supplies.  

"I think we can work together Captain.  I'll send Mickel to see the parts, and when he returns I'll release the boy"

 "Fine"

"Then we're agreed"  

"Hold B at the nearest port." Beka supplied.  More muttering into a comm. link and they all settled back in the chairs to wait for word from Mickel.

The waiting was driving her crazy.  What the hell was taking so long!  Was this Mickel the slowest Neitzchien on Earth?  She was left here, waiting, just looking at the man who had no soul.  The room was so quiet that when Shimar's link beeped Beka jumped.  Shimar smiled.  How she hated that man's smile.

"All seems to be in order.  We'll go retrieve the kludge now"

The kludge was certainly near death.  Whatever they had been doing to him this last week had been bad.  Beka was shocked.  She could barely see the funny guy who'd fixed the Maru in this limp, broken man.  He barely even was a man; they had tortured a boy.  Rev gently put his arm behind the boy's back as his captor unshackled him for the first time since he'd arrived.  Harper immediately collapsed without the support of the chains.  Rev caught him easily and cautiously scooped up the mudfoot's legs.  He was careful because if the boy were aware enough to realize it was a Maggog who now cradled him he would no doubt hurt himself further trying to escape.  It was a bittersweet situation that Harper was too battered to understand what was going on around him.  Good because it allowed Rev to help him, bad because no living thing should be made to suffer that way.  

Rev carried the boy back to the Maru.  The way he hung limp and lifeless in his arms it was like the human had no bones.  He worried about the way his neck hung over his arm.  Rev shifted Harper's head to lie against his furry shoulder.  Beka just walked beside Rev, gently letting her fingers explore Harper's hair.  Rev just hoped the mudfoot wouldn't wake up yet, Rev had no illusions that anyone who grew up on Earth, as this boy had, would not fear and hate Maggog.  They boarded the Maru and caught sight of Bobby.  Bobby rolled his eyes

"Can we leave now?"

"Yes" Beka whole-heartedly agreed

Rev placed the engineer in the bed of empty crew quarters.  He was so young.  Beka appeared in the doorway behind him with a glass of water.  "I don't know that I should be the one…"

"If he's going to be a part of our crew you can't let him be afraid of you.  You're not like other Maggog.  He'll learn that eventually."  Rev nodded, then, looking at Harper's face he saw the boy's eyes drift open.  

"You're awake Master Harper" not surprisingly the boy didn't respond.  He did drink the water Rev offered though.  

Harper wasn't completely out of it, he knew it was a Maggog who held the water to his lips.  Not that he had overcome his intense fear of Maggog, but he just hurt too much to care.  The water was cool gliding down his throat and he was so thirsty.  If this Maggog was just giving him this one moment of peace before he proceeded to rip out his heart or lay eggs in him Harper didn't care.  In fact, if this Maggog did lay eggs in him he'd probably be dead before they even hatched.  Right now he was just happy to drink the offered water and revel in the fact he was free of the Neitzchiens.  

Beka came the rest of the way into the room and stood at the foot of the bed.  "How?" he asked weakly

"Priman turned  you in, and we had him pay to get you out with the parts.  That leaves everything square with him.  I am also offering you a new job, with us here on the Maru."  She could see the happiness in his battered face.  

"Sounds great, boss" he managed before he passed out again

The boy slept, just let his body rest and recover.  Recover from his torture sessions; recover from the stress of being employed by a madman, recover from generally the 2 decades that he had lived in that hellhole.


End file.
